SOC and sun exposure

I know I read somewhere that if you are taking peg and riba you should not go in the sun too much but I can not seem to find anything to back that up. Being that I have started treatment and it is summertime at the Jersey shore.......can anyone provide any insight? I have skimmed through the pegasys and copegus website and could not find anything. I am curious if it is true and what if you use SPF 50 and sit under an umbrella. Not to mention mowing the lawn, washing the car, fishing with the kids, canoeing, etc... It sure would stink to miss out on all of that good stuff not to mention who wants to be a hermit all summer.

Photosensitivity is listed as Undesirable Effects/Adverse Reactions for Peg&Interferon Alfa-2b and combo therapy. Appears not to be too common. I noticed it when on treatment. Only needed to be in sun 30 minutes and exposed skin turned red.

From Roche...

ANNEX I
SUMMARY OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT
Pegasys 135 micrograms solution for injection

Undesirable Effects (<10% Incidence) Reported on Pegasys Monotherapy or In
Combination with Ribavirin

I'm in my 13th week of tx and I was at the beach for two weeks for holiday the first day I rode my bike and walked on the beach, about an hour in the sun total I had on a 30 SPF, I got burned. A few days latter, since I was too burned to go out until the sun went down, I went to the store and bought a 70 SPF I didn't leave the house without it. I still got pink but it soaked in quicker.

Thanks I thought that was the case but like I said I was having difficulty finding the info on their info sheets. Frankly it could have been in there but after a while you just can not read those darn things anymore. they just go on and on and on, not to mention you'll get yourself depressed when you read about all the possible sides these drugs can produce I mean Geez Louise. LOL

GSD Girl,
Is that nuetrogena sunblock they sell? If so I will look for it this weekend.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunblock
with helioplex..........it says it blocks skin-aging UVA & burning UVB rays. It really isn't too bad, not greasy & supposedly doesn't clog pores. Mine is SPF 70. It just became available in the USA last year. I have been using it in the sunny heatwave in Pittsburgh, so far so good.

I had meant to start a post about it but there is not enough hours in the day

The Blue Lizard Sun Screen/Block products from Australia are excellent, with Blue Lizard Baby both without chemicals and fragrance making it a good choice for sensitive treatment (or post treatment) skin.

That said, none of the sun blocks -- regardless of the unreliable SPF numbers -- will provide adequate protection in all conditions for all people, esp on treatment. Cover-ups -- hats, shirts, etc, may be needed as well -- and for those very sensitive, time in the sun (regardless of protection) may have to be significantly cut down.

There is a significant variance in the way people react to the sun on treatment, therefore best to gradually increase your exposures to find your own individual tolerance to the sun.

Coolibar makes some very good sun products, but the bottom line is that if you hold a piece of clothing (hat, shirt, etc.) up to the sun and can see the sun through it -- then you can still get burned through that particular piece of clothing. http://www.coolibar.com/index.html?source=adwordskt&words=coolibar&version=1

Most of us have made the mistake once or twice thinking "well I've never been sensitive to the sun at all so...". BIG mistake.

I decided to go tanning in one of the "lighter" beds for half the time and well....I should have paid big attention to the list of medications on the door because Intron was CERTAINLY on it - the purple blisters I had were just NOT worth it, believe me.

Stay under an umbrella as much as you can and you should be ok but stay OUT of the sun! I remember when I was on treatment I could feel the sun on my arm while I was driving...truly I became like a vampire and just had to stay OUT.

Thanks for that comment....I'm one of those who turns brown just from walking outside and don't have a problem with the sun..however was thinking (so okay, I have my vanity moments too!) that I might do some browning indoors...I'm thinking not, after reading that. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for all the information. Good stuff and great recommendations. I will jsut gradually test myself int he sun and always wear my sun block. Last year I went to the beach while on napraxen (anti inflamatory). bottom line is I burned really bad where my feet swelled up it was not fun

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